I just received word of the creation of a working Master Pyraminx.

http://csx.jp/~3dpuzzle/sub5.html

I would like to congratulate Katsuhiko for his great work. If you have any questions you can post them in Twistsy since Katsuhiko periodically reads the postings. For those of you interested, it is currently not for sale, unless you want to offer an astronomical amount of money.

WOW!!! If he has molds does that mean that he can produce more than one of these things? Anybody think that somebody would produce one of these things in mass? It seems since the pyraminx was Meffert's prized baby that he would be very interested in producing this puzzle...

What a truly beautiful job. I am in awe.

Interesting that he choose to make it the same size as a standard Pyraminx. Fits really nice in that case.

So how do the over-hanging bits hang on? I know this has been discussed before, but can we go over it again now that we have a set of pictures to refer to?

Sandy

I too have seen this due to someone showing me. it looks absolutely amazing!

On another note, all you who think windows is junk or something like that:


my friend's computer

Hi,

You can build this puzzle from a 4x4x4, the 4x4x4 can be transformed in this way. In this case the middle pieces and the corners are the corners from a normal 4x4x4. So the edge pieces will be the two dioganal center pieces of a 4x4x4. The mini 4x4x4 is the best to use as a kernel.

Ton

Definately a worlds first. I'd love to have those molds for a day.

Ton, I disagree.

A cube has 90 degree moves. A pyraminx has 120 degree moves. You therefore cannot transform one to the other.

If you were to try anyway, you would get a kind of pyramorphix. Unfortunately, as in the discussion on transforming a 3x3x3 cube this way, the puzzle changes shape and the corners will fall off unless you use layers of different widths. Also, the centre piece of a triangular face then does not correspond to a cube corner, but was an internal cubie. In may nevertheless be an interesting idea to see what kind of pyramids you can get easily from transforming a 4x4x4 or 5x5x5 cube.

Jaap

I doubt it, it seems that not many new ones are coming out. Although, maybe Bethel corp. or the people who make the mini 5x5's would produce it? I hope the best for him though...

Which bits are overhanging too far? i dont see any. It doesnt seem like that was too big of a problem. This mechanism may not be as complicated as it seems to design, but to make it that is hard.

Great job, Katsuhiko-san! If you decide to produce enough to sell, you would have a really nice market here on Twisty!

I dont see how you could build it from a 4x4... I know how to build one from scratch though

What an amazing puzzle, as I prefer the cube / pyramid style of twisty puzzle I just it gets into production at some stage.

I have to agree with Jaap. The photos show partial movement and they're not 90 degree movements.

If you look at the bottom pictures where he rotates ALL of the corners , then the remainder looks like an Octahedron... a Diamond Skewb, to be exact. The faces look like they cut through the inner octrahedron the way a Diamond Skewb would, too. From that point, it's simply a matter of fusing the "corner centres" to the centre of the Diamond Skewb face (remove the centre's cover, drill a hole through it, and use a nut/bolt setup), and do the same thing to attach the mini corners. After that, it's simply a matter of attaching the extra edges to the "corner centres" and/or "edges" (ie. the Diamond Skewb corners) using some kind of a tongue/groove mechanism (Square-1 like, perhaps?) and you've got it made! L8r.

Well considering that a diamond skewb has the same mech as a pyraminx, you would be right. If you wanted to start from scratch though,
you would have a 4 armed spider (like pyraminx) with rotating tips (like pyraminx). Now, there also will be another four arms that are going to be the center pieces of the face, that rotate as well. Now just shove the other pieces in between. Easy in theory, hard in practice.

I figured it was only a matter of time until someone else figured it out too. It is a very simple thing to do and I would have been first if it weren't for the fact that someone stole my scewb dimond. Still I've got other ideas that people haven't thought of yet. Good job, i cant wait to get one, whether I buy or make it.

I think theres a problem - a groove mech. like square one can only go one way - that is its not symmetrical, so those pieces couldnt be inverted (if that is possible at all within the puzzle.
what do u think?

I think I had a long email discussion with JinHKim about mechanisms for the master pyraminx, but I don't think much of it appeared on this forum - I can't find it anyway.

I also figured that it would be easiest to use a skewb mechanism as a base. The 5x5x5 cube has a (ball-shaped) 3x3x3 mechanism inside, and its pieces are extended outwards so that the other pieces fit in between. The master pyraminx could be similar - a ball shaped skewb with pieces that are extended outwards to allow the others in between.

Four of the skewb corners are extended with an axis that has rotatable pyraminx corner and tip pieces. For stability reasons it is of course best to use the set of skewb corners that are fixed on axes, not the loose corner pieces. The loose corners will end up as the face centers.

The fact that the edge pieces overhang will cause a bit of difficulty, and I suspect it makes it more difficult if you start with a skewb diamond instead of a ball.

I think it is possible to also build up the loose corners of the skewb with an axis with corner+tip, so that the end result is a Stella Octangula. This would be a really neat puzzle too.

Jaap

That is not a problem - the edge pieces cannot be flipped, so just like a 4x4x4 cube they can be asymmetrical on the inside.

It is difficult though because they will overhang one side (when a large size 3 tip is turned). This means that its tongue has to reach deeper. This is why I would start from a skewb puzzle ball instead of a skewb diamond. I can't explain it very well, sorry.

J

Thanks for answering jaap... i may just have to make one (if square one mech. fits)